2002 Israeli Labor Party leadership election

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2002 Israeli Labor Party leadership election
← 2001 20 November 2002 2003 (interim) →
Turnout59.5%
 
Candidate Amram Mitzna Binyamin Ben-Eliezer Haim Ramon
Party Labor Labor Labor
Popular vote 35,945 25,445 4,830
Percentage 53.91% 38.16% 7.24%
Leader before election

Binyamin Ben-Eliezer

 Elected Leader

Amram Mitzna

A leadership election was held by the Israeli Labor Party party on 19 November 2002. Mayor of Haifa Amram Mitzna defeated incumbent Leader Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Member of the Knesset Haim Ramon.[1][2]

Background[edit]

In 2001, special elections for the position of prime minister took place after the resignation of Ehud Barak. Barak, then the leader of the Labor party, lost to Ariel Sharon.[3] The Labor Party joined Sharon's new party, with Barak subsequently retiring from political life.[4] Following his resignation, Barak was replaced as party leader by Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, who defeated Speaker of the Knesset Avraham Burg in a leadership election in December 2001.[5] Due to tensions regarding the leadership election, it was decided that a second leadership election would be held in 2002.[6] In May 2002, Eitan Cabel stated that Member of the Knesset Haim Ramon would run for the party's leadership, with Cabel serving as Ramon's campaign manager.[7] In July, Ben-Eliezer and Ramon agreed to hold the election on 19 November.[8]

On 1 August, Haifa Mayor Amram Mitzna stated that he was considering running for the leadership of the Labor Party.[9] Several politicians, including Minister of Science, Culture and Sport Matan Vilnai,[10] Mayor of Tel Aviv Ron Huldai,[11] and Member of the Knesset Yossi Katz,[12] endorsed the idea. Mitzna formally announced his candidacy on 13 August.[13]

On 5 November 2002, following Labor's withdrawal from the government, the Knesset was dissolved,[14] and new elections were called for January 2003.[15] On 12 November, Mitzna, Ben-Eliezer and Ramon participated in a televised debate on Channel 2.[16]

Campaign[edit]

Mitzna campaigned on a solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He stated that Israel should negotiate a permanent settlement with the Palestinians, which would include the evacuation of Israeli outposts.[13]

Ramon criticized Mitzna for advocating negotiations with Palestinian authorities, arguing that Israel should unilaterally withdraw from both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. He also criticized Ben-Eliezer's plan to construct a Separation barrier in the West Bank, believing that Israel should withdraw before a barrier is built.[17] Ramon also criticized Ben-Eliezer for participating in Sharon's Government.[18]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

2002 Israeli Labor Party leadership election[22][23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Labor Amram Mitzna 35,945 53.91%
Labor Binyamin Ben-Eliezer 25,445 38.16%
Labor Haim Ramon 4,830 7.24%
Turnout 66,667 59.5%

Aftermath[edit]

Both Ben-Eliezer and Ramon coneded defeat after initial results showed a Mitzna victory.[23] Ben-Eliezer was assigned the second spot on the party's list for the 2003 election,[24] where the party won 19 seats, then an all-time low.[25] After the election, Mitzna announced his resignation from the party leadership in May 2005,[26] and was replaced by Shimon Peres, who became the interim leader until the next leadership election took place.[27]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Shmueli, Smadar; Somfalvi, Attila (2002-11-20). "מצנע נבחר ליו"ר העבודה עם 53.9% מהקולות" [Mitzna elected leader of Labor with 53.9% of the vote]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  2. ^ Verter, Yossi (2002-11-20). "Mitzna Sweeps to Labor Party Victory; Ben-Eliezer: We'll Not Become Meretz II'". Haaretz. Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  3. ^ "הבחירות בישראל 2001" [2001 Israeli election]. Israel Democracy Institute. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  4. ^ Karni, Yuval (2012-11-26). "אהוד ברק הודיע: פורש מהחיים הפוליטיים" [Ehud Barak announced his retirement from political life]. Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
  5. ^ Bar Gefen, Linoi (2001-12-27). "בן אליעזר ניצח; הרב עובדיה התקשר לברך" [Ben-Eliezer Won; Rabbi Ovadia called to congratulate]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  6. ^ Bennet, James (2001-12-27). "Vote in Israel In Labor Party Seems to Keep Coalition Safe". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  7. ^ Rotter, Yossi (2022-05-02). "ח"כ כבל: רמון יתמודד על ראשות העבודה" [MK Cabel: Ramon will run for Leadership of Labor]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  8. ^ Shmueli, Smadar (2002-07-05). "הבחירות לראשות העבודה יתקיימו ב-19 לנובמבר" [Labor leadership election will take place on 19 November]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  9. ^ Shmueli, Smadar (2022-08-01). "עמרם מצנע שוקל להתמודד על ראשות העבודה" [Amram Mitzna is considering running for leadership of Labor]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  10. ^ Shmueli, Smadar (2002-08-11). "וילנאי הודיע על תמיכתו במצנע לראשות העבודה" [Vilnai announces support for Mitzna as Labor Leader]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  11. ^ Shmueli, Smadar; Somfalvi, Attila (2002-08-11). "חולדאי: אני תומך במצנע" [Huldai: I support Mitzna]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  12. ^ Shmueli, Smadar (2002-08-12). "רמון דחה הצעת בן אליעזר לשתף פעולה נגד מצנע" [Ramon Rejected Ben-Eliezer's offer to cooperate against Mitzna]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  13. ^ a b Shmueli, Smadar (2002-08-13). "מצנע: אפעל להסדר קבע עם הפלסטינים" [Mitzna: I will work towards permanent settlement with Palestinians]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-01.
  14. ^ "שרון: "גחמה פוליטית של העבודה פירקה הממשלה". הנאום המלא" [Sharon: "A Political whim of Labor dissolved the government". The full speech]. ynet (in Hebrew). 2002-11-05. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
  15. ^ Shmueli, Smadar (2002-11-11). "סופית: הבחירות יתקיימו ב-28 בינואר" [Officially: Elections will take place on 28 January]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-13.
  16. ^ Shmueli, Smadar; Somfalvi, Attila (2002-11-13). "העימות: פואד ורמון הזיעו, מצנע שתה מים" [The Debate: Fuad and Ramon sweated, Mitzna drank water]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-13.
  17. ^ Bahur, Diana (2002-09-02). "רמון: "מצנע דחק עצמו לשמאל הקיצוני"" [Ramon: Mitzna has pushed himself towards the Radical Left]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  18. ^ Shmueli, Smadar (2002-09-18). "חיים רמון: פואד מחפש לעצמו סידור עבודה" [Haim Ramon: Fuad is looking for a job]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  19. ^ Lanski, Na'ama (2012-03-15). ""השריפות בכרמל הן עניין ידוע ולא עשו דבר"" ["Fires in the Caramel are a known issue and nothing has been done"]. Israel Hayom. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  20. ^ "Binyamin (Fuad) Ben-Eliezer". Knesset (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  21. ^ Somfalvi, Attila (2003-10-30). "האם חיים רמון פורש מהחיים הפוליטיים?" [Is Haim Ramon retiring from political life?]. Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  22. ^ "העבודה" [Labor]. Labor. Archived from the original on 2002-11-27. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  23. ^ a b Shmueli, Smadar; Somfalvi, Attila (2002-11-20). "מצנע נבחר ליו"ר העבודה עם 53.9% מהקולות". ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-06-26.
  24. ^ "הבחירות בעבודה - התוצאות הסופיות". ערוץ 7 (in Hebrew). 2002-12-10. Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  25. ^ "בחירות 2003" [2003 elections]. Israel Democracy Institute. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
  26. ^ Barzilay, Arnon; Mualem, Mazal (2003-05-05). "מצנע התפטר מראשות העבודה: "במצבה הנוכחי לא ניתן לנהל אותה"" [Mitzna Resigns from Labor leadership: "In its current situation, it cannot be managed"]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-08-25.
  27. ^ "פרס נבחר ליו"ר הזמני: "נחזיר את המפלגה לגדולתה"" [Peres elected temporary chairman: "We will return the party to its former greatness"]. ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
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